Non-Biblical Accounts on Jesus

The Testimonium Flavianum is one of the most reliable sources for historical proof of Jesus, but outside of this are there anymore? I know there is but it would be nice to have some different accounts posted?

Have you ever read "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel? Strobel was a well known journalist for the Chicago Tribune. A former atheist and anti-Christian bigot, he set out to disprove the Biblical narrative of Jesus Christ, but instead wound up becoming a believer through his research.

In his book, he does an exhaustive study of the character of Christ and investigates some of the most common objections raised against the historicity of the canonical gospels, among other related topics. A numerous amount of extra-Biblical accounts and documents are also presented in his book - all of which fully corroborate the accounts of Jesus as documented in the Gospels. I highly recommend it.

Here's a few extra-biblical references and accounts given of Jesus and the early Christian church by some notable historical figures of the time.



Tacitus (c. A.D. 55 - c. A.D. 117)

Annals, book XV:

"Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular."


Julius Africanus (c. 160 - c. 240)

Chronography, XVIII -refers to writings by Thallus and Phlegon concerning the darkness that fell upon the earth during the Crucifixion as recorded in the Gospels:

"On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun...Phlegon records that, in the time of Tiberius Caesar, at full moon, there was a full eclipse of the sun from the sixth hour to the ninth - manifestly that one of which we speak."


Suetonius (c. A.D. 69 - c. A.D. 140)

Lives of the Caesars - Claudius, sec. 25:

"He banished from Rome all the Jews, who were continually making disturbances at the instigation of one Chrestus."


Others who mentioned Jesus by name are Origen and Pliny the Younger. There's more, just research and you'll find them.

I've actually read some of the work of Julius Africanus. That quote he made from an ancient book written by Thallus is actually quite fascinating, because it also helps to prove the divinity of Christ. Referring to the Darkness that covered the Land after his crucifixion. As far as that book you recommended I will take a look at it. It would be better if I could find a pirated version lol, but I will take a look at ebay, and see whatsup.